{"id":797,"date":"2023-08-17T03:29:39","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T03:29:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/?p=797"},"modified":"2023-08-17T03:30:29","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T03:30:29","slug":"remote-people-operations-a-curse-or-a-blessing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/2023\/08\/17\/remote-people-operations-a-curse-or-a-blessing\/","title":{"rendered":"Remote People Operations. A Curse or a Blessing?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"797\" class=\"elementor elementor-797\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-25fd4407 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"25fd4407\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-206ecd06\" data-id=\"206ecd06\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-13b346e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"13b346e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.14.0 - 18-06-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>The Scene:<\/strong> In a rapidly evolving business landscape, a global tech company, has embraced a remote work model to stay competitive and attract top talent. With a workforce spanning different time zones and cultural backgrounds, their People Operations team faces a unique set of challenges. As employees work remotely, maintaining open lines of communication, ensuring collaboration, and monitoring productivity have become paramount. The team is exploring innovative ways to foster a sense of belonging and engagement among remote employees through virtual team-building activities and regular video check-ins. additionally, they are leveraging HR analytics to track key performance metrics and identify any potential issues, such as burnout or isolation. The Company is committed to striking the right balance between flexibility and accountability in this new remote work era, ensuring that employees feel supported while delivering their best work from diverse locations.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>So what Remote People Operations actually is?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Remote people operations refer to the management and coordination of human resources and personnel-related activities in organizations where a significant portion of the workforce operates remotely or works in a distributed manner. This includes functions such as recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee engagement, training and development, benefits administration, and overall well-being support for remote employees. The goal of remote people operations is to effectively address the unique challenges and opportunities posed by remote work, ensuring that remote employees feel connected, engaged, and supported while contributing to the organization&#8217;s objectives<sup>1<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>What are the Advantages of Remote People Operations?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><em><u>Global Talent Access:<\/u><\/em> Organizations can tap into a diverse pool of talent from around the world, accessing the best fit for their needs.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><em><u>Flexibility and Work-Life Balance:<\/u><\/em> Remote work options enable employees to better balance their work and personal lives, potentially leading to increased job satisfaction and reduced stress.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><em><u>Cost Savings:<\/u><\/em> Reduced need for physical office space and related expenses can lead to significant cost savings for organizations.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><em><u>Higher Productivity:<\/u><\/em> Some employees thrive in remote settings, leading to increased productivity and efficiency.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><em><u>Reduced Commute Stress<\/u><\/em>: Remote work eliminates commuting, saving time and reducing the stress associated with daily travel.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><em><u>Inclusivity and Accessibility:<\/u><\/em> Remote work can be more inclusive for individuals with disabilities or those who face geographical constraints.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><em><u>Environmental Impact:<\/u><\/em> Less commuting and office energy consumption contribute to a smaller carbon footprint.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><em><u>Diverse Perspectives:<\/u><\/em> A distributed workforce brings together employees with varied perspectives and backgrounds, fostering innovation and creativity.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><em><u>Agile Operations:<\/u><\/em> Remote people operations encourage organizations to adopt flexible and dynamic HR practices and technology solutions<sup>1,2<\/sup>.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>What is the other side of the Picture?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em><u>Trust Issues:<\/u><\/em> Teleworker management provided particular challenges. According to research, supervisors who are unable to &#8220;see&#8221; their direct reports sometimes find it difficult to believe that their staff members are actually functioning. When such uncertainties arise, managers may begin to have an irrational expectation that those team members be available at all times, undermining their ability to balance work and home life and adding to their stress levels at work<sup>3<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em><u>Decreased Authentic Two-way Communication:<\/u><\/em> Maintaining effective communication and fostering collaboration among remote teams can be challenging due to the lack of face-to-face interaction. Miscommunication, feelings of isolation, and difficulty in coordinating projects are common concerns.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em><u>Performance Monitoring and Accountability:<\/u><\/em> Ensuring that remote employees remain productive and accountable can be complex. Without direct supervision, measuring performance accurately and addressing any potential issues such as underperformance or burnout becomes more difficult<sup>4,5<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>What is the Solution then?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>&nbsp;\u201cEvery Picture has Two Sides\u201d<\/em> this phrase never disappoints.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I do not think anything or any technological change comes without its advantages and disadvantages in parallel. The only key to success again is so simply and so hard to maintain a healthy balance of the advantages of this new remote people operations and only reap its advantages at its best. How is it possible? This is only possible through the digital transformation of related HR activities. For instance, why call in paper applications? Why call in people for face-to-face interviews? Why keep a heap of hard-cover files in the office cabinets? Is this all?<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong><u>No<\/u><\/strong>, what we are talking about here is about is to make remote people operations effectively work, organizations need to implement a strategic approach that prioritizes communication, collaboration, and support. Clear and consistent communication channels should be established to keep remote employees informed about company updates, expectations, and goals. Regular video meetings can help foster a sense of connection and maintain team cohesion. Providing remote employees with the necessary tools and technology is essential for seamless work execution. Establishing well-defined performance metrics, goals, and deadlines, along with regular check-ins, ensures accountability and tracks progress. Offering professional development opportunities and virtual team-building activities enhances engagement and skill development. Regularly seeking feedback from remote employees helps identify challenges and areas for improvement. Ultimately, a balance between autonomy and structured support is crucial for remote people operations to thrive. <strong><em>Is it evident in real-world?<\/em><\/strong> Yes, according to Indeed\u2019s ranking, several big companies are listing remote work jobs such as Microsoft, Intuit, Jackson Hewitt, Kevin Williams Realty, SAP, VMware, Splunk, Johnson &amp; Johnson, Meta, Dell Technologies, Red Hat, SAIC, Indeed, Phillips and several others<sup>6<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong><em>In fact, the work coming up has a lot to do with remote work, so buckle up and invest in remote work skills both as an employee and employer\u2026..<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>References<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ferreira R, Pereira R, Bianchi IS, da Silva MM. Decision factors for remote work adoption: advantages, disadvantages, driving forces and challenges. <em>Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity<\/em>. 2021;7(1):70.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Blumberga S, Pylinskaya T. Remote work advantages and disadvantages on the example in it organisation. 2019:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Parker SK, Knight C, Keller A. Remote managers are having trust issues. <em>Harvard Business Review<\/em>. 2020;30:6-20.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Blumberga S, Pylinskaya T. PERSONNEL REMOTE MANAGEMENT-ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES. 2019:701-706.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Negulescu OH, Doval E. Ergonomics and time management in remote working from home. <em>Acta Technica Napocensis-Series: Applied Mathematics, Mechanics, and Engineering<\/em>. 2021;64(1-S1)<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Eads A. 20 of the Best Remote Work Companies in 2023. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indeed.com\/career-advice\/finding-a-job\/best-remote-work-companies\">https:\/\/www.indeed.com\/career-advice\/finding-a-job\/best-remote-work-companies<\/a><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6773385 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con\" data-id=\"6773385\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-809433f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"809433f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.14.0 - 18-06-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-cottonbro-studio-4626343-683x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-799\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-cottonbro-studio-4626343-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-cottonbro-studio-4626343-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-cottonbro-studio-4626343-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-cottonbro-studio-4626343-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-cottonbro-studio-4626343-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-cottonbro-studio-4626343-scaled.jpg 1706w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Scene: In a rapidly evolving business landscape, a global tech company, has embraced a remote work model to stay competitive and attract top talent. With a workforce spanning different time zones and cultural backgrounds, their People Operations team faces a unique set of challenges. As employees work remotely, maintaining open lines of communication, ensuring &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/2023\/08\/17\/remote-people-operations-a-curse-or-a-blessing\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Remote People Operations. A Curse or a Blessing?<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/797"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=797"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/797\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":802,"href":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/797\/revisions\/802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shujaiqbal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}